The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-22
THREE PROMINENT EDUCATORS.
Brief Personal Sketches of Superintendent
Jones and Professors Grant and Emmerich.

Brief Personal Sketches of Superintendent
Jones and Professors Grant and Emmerich.
Prof Lewis Fl. Jones has been superintendent
of the public schools of indianapolis for three
years, and during that time there has been what
never before existed for a like period-complete
harmony among teachers and superintendent.
Professor Jones is a very quiet, unostentatious,
undemonstratve kind of man, and what he has
done to keep up the efficiency of the schools,
which are somewhat hampered for the lack of
room and money, has been done without the aid
of q brass band. Before taking his present po-
si.ion. he was principal of the normal school of
the State Normal School, at Terre Haute. He
is an excellent disciphnarian, but admirable in
diplomacy and always manages to carry his point
by tact and kindness, rather than by force He
is fully en- rapport with the teachers
OF the city schools, with whom he
is very popular. Pleasant and affable,
he has sound views on education and manages
to get along with the school board bv giving
way in many things in order to hold fast to tho
essentials. He is a busy man, but meth
odical and adrcit in his business methods that
each day he manages to go through round of
duties that would appall mar OF less order.
Professor Jones has called into existence a
teachers club. which now has membership of
fifty more. These teachers meet once a week,
for the purpose of studying methods of educa-
ton. and the meetings are of great interest and
profit
Prof. Willard W. Grant, the principal of the
High-school, is about forty years old. and a ma
tive of jefferson county. New York. He was left
with small patrimony which he determined to
invest in education, and be went to Harvard
College. His parents designed him for the min
istry, but he determined in favor of the law He
took at collegeIthe course of literature and bellies
lettres and graduated with high honors. He
then returned to his native village of Antwerp,
Jefferson county. New York, to find the academy
there without teacher. He accepted the va
Gated place, and taught for three years, proving
himself to be so excellent manager and sue
cessful an educator that his fame having gone
abroad he was called to Leavenworth, Kan,
principal of the High-school of that city. He re-
manned there in that capacity for seven years
About that time the Indianapolis High-school
was looking about for principal. Mr.. Albert
Fletcher had graduated at Harvard In the same
class with Professor Grant, and having men
toned the Professor to the superintendent and
school board, Professor Grant was requested to
pay Indianapolis a visit. which resulted In his
employment in the position he has since held.
He is probably the heaviest educator in lndisna
weighing about $50 pounds His suavity, gen.
tlenoss and kindness of heart are as great as
his bodily bulk and he has never yet been
heard to exclaim. "Oh, that this too, too solid
flesh would melt" He is opposed to corporal
punishment, and his sway is so mild that it is
sary to resort to extreme measures and
''sit down upon pupil: He has
read several papers Of merit before the State
Teachers Association. and not infrequently
lectures in college towns. His name was among
those considered when Professor Jordan
chosen president of the State University. AS
the elective system in hich-schools, and out c.
the twsnty-four branches Of study In the High
school that a pupil is required to complete in
four years, thirteen are elective being left to
and MN RI Tia MI yh
an innovation in the High-school course, has
proved successful and has the favor OF
School Commissioners. He has made special
study of the relation of high-schools to elemen-
tary education, and collected in q mastery paper
the decisions Of judges of the higher courts from
all over the Union, establishing the fact thereby
that the high-schools are part of the general
school system and as firmly established as the
general schools wherever they are demanded.
Prof. Charles E. Emmerch. teacher of Ger
man in the High-school, and supervisor of
German in the various districts of the city, is
about forty-three years old, native of Coblentz,
Prussia. He has taught in this city for fourteen
years beginning in 1873 He taught at Madi-
son, Ind, and in the West for eight years previ
was through paper he wrote
ed ucational matters. This paper attracted
the attention of George P. Brown. then super
interdent of the city schools, who. recognizing
his merit and having want of such a man, in
duced him to come to Indianapolis. Previous
to coming to this country Professor Emmerich
had been an artileryman, and soon after COM
ing here he entered the regular army. When he
had been in service in the far West but short
timel he was taken sick and lay for eight months
in the hospital He was considered physical
wreck. too enfeebled for service of any kind and
was discharged. He at once went to work farm
ing and chopping wood, becoming a famous
wood chopper. His health was fully restored
and to-day he looks one of the sound
est of men, with muscles like
steel and chest that measures
forty six inches. He is noted for the clearness
and purity of his German. his grammatical per-
lection and the fullness aud distinctness of his
snunciatior. He is fine disciplinariah and de-
voted to punctuality in all things. The High
school Cadets a very creditable organization. and
one that should not have been suffered die out,
was instituted by Professor Emmerich. He is of
\ hearty, social manner, somewhat impulsive,
fond of joke and quite ready to take as to
give one A few wears ago. when all his friends
supposed that he was a confirmed bachelor, with
put the faintest yearning toward matrimony, he
surprised evefybo by marrying while a
visit to Germany. and returning, settling down
INTO a very staid and sober married man.